Environmental Stewardship

Addressing the Impacts of Climate Change with our Partners in Guatemala Our commitment to environmental stewardship is not limited to improving our own sustainability practices to slow or reverse impacts caused by climate change. As we think about the environment, we think about widespread climate events and how they impact communities around the globe. Stoves to improve health and reduce deforestation Life and community saving efforts in the face of disaster Working with partners we trust for maximum success In some communities in Guatemala, using wood-burn- ing stoves inside causes negative respiratory health outcomes and requires a significant use of wood for daily cooking. Through an integrated maternal and child health program sponsored by Providence that be- gan in 2018, Providence and our partner Medical Teams International have supported 490 families to transition from wood-burning stoves to clean-burning stoves to combat the negative environmental and health impacts of burning wood inside. We have seen significant climate change within the Chicamán region of Guatemala resulting in greater seasons of drought and greater seasons of flooding. November of 2020 was a record-breaking hurricane season with two category four or five storms. In that year, 17 million people across Guatemala were impacted by these storms and faced a food crisis and financial emergencies. Providence mobilized to meet immediate needs in partnership with our local partner on the ground. Through Providence's key partnership with Medical Teams, Medical Teams distributed 8,000 hygiene kits, constructed latrines, and donated stoves for shelters that reduced emissions and improved air quality. In 2021, we worked with Medical Teams International in Chicamán to ensure our partners are building sustain- ability and resilience over time, are respected by local officials and have good relationships locally. We look to mobilize in communities where there is a commitment to change. Our partners have a lens for sustainability in their work and can demonstrate the results and im- pact of our efforts together. Ultimately, we are building community capacity and environmental sustainability through education and access to key services to impact this generation and the next. Using a public health framework, Providence supported the delivery of information and infrastructure through the local community to equip families to use the new clean-burning stoves. The health impacts of the stoves include a reduction in pneumonia. As a result of the health programming and stove interventions, a 2021 report on this work demonstrated that incidences of pneumonia in kids under two de- creased from 29 percent to 4 percent. Further, this program has reduced wood consumption by up to 70 percent and also reduced time spent by families gathering wood. These wrap-around efforts that incorporate education and sustainable practices for community members have a huge impact on the environment. 9 We look to mobilize in communities where there is a commitment to change.

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